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Capriati conquers Hingis American wins in final for second time this year
Updated: Monday April 23, 2001 8:27 AM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Jennifer Capriati knew her Australian Open victory against Martina Hingis wasn't a one-time thing. She proved it on Sunday. "I never felt pressure that if I didn't win here it was going to be a fluke thing," Capriati said after beating Hingis for the second consecutive time this year, 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 in the Family Circle finals. "I have enough confidence in my game and I'm feeling as fit as I was in Australia." Capriati, the tournament's second-seeded player, needed all the energy she could get in this one. After a surprisingly easy 19-minute first set, the top-seeded Hingis rallied to extend the match. "I was playing Martina Hingis. She wasn't going to let it go without a fight," said Capriati, who was a 14-year-old prodigy when she lost to Martina Navratilova in the finals here the first time, in 1990. But Capriati, who hadn't played the world's No. 1 player since beating Hingis to win her first Grand Slam title in Australia, broke her four times in the final set for victory. Hingis, a 1997 and 1999 Family Circle champion, came in with a 14-match win streak here. Capriati's power was too much on the green clay. "We always said if Jennifer could get her game together she would be with me, the [Williams] sisters and Lindsay," said Hingis, now 2-5 against Capriati. Capriati, who earned $178,000, came out fast, handing Hingis her first love set in 41 matches this year. Hingis did not go quietly. She won 12 of the second set's first 13 points to lead 3-0 and, after Capriati won four consecutive games to lead 4-3, finished off the set by winning the next three. "I felt like I was finally getting into my game," said Hingis, who has gone four tournaments without a championship after three victories in her first five events. Capriati's fierce groundstrokes and powerful serves -- she twice won points with 108-mph serves -- took the third set. But not before Hingis came back one more time. Capriati led 5-1 and was two points from the title in the seventh and eighth games. However, she could not convert, conjuring memories of her finals loss at the Ericsson Open to Venus Williams where she squandered eight match points. When Capriati hit a lob just past the baseline, Hingis had closed to 5-4 and was serving to tie. This time, Capriati didn't let it slip away. "That went through my mind," Capriati said. "I learned from the loss at the Ericsson and used it here." Capriati caught up to a drop shot for one winner -- "I thought, 'No way.' I couldn't believe she got to that," Hingis said -- then picked off Hingis' forehand shot from the deep left corner to set up match point. Hingis floated a forehand that Capriati followed into the right sideline, extending her arms to the cheers of the crowd at the newly build Tennis Centre at Daniel Island. Capriati ran to the stands to kiss her father, Stefano. Even before the victory, it was known that Capriati would replace Monica Seles at No. 4 in the world behind Hingis, Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport when the new rankings come out next week. The victory also marks Capriati as a top challenger for the next Grand Slam event, the French Open. "This will help with that, no matter what happens" in her remaining clay tournaments, said Capriati, who'll next play at the German Open next month.
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